Gerry Harding stood on the little patch of grass between the gravel road and the paddock. His daughter Jess stood beside him. They were situated in front of the Triceratops paddock, hoping to catch a glimpse of them before the oncoming storm would force them to return to the park.
There was a chilly breeze in the air. Storms like that were nothing to laugh at. Jess hugged her chest and shivered with cold. She was just wearing a T-shirt and shorts, hardly the proper storm attire. Harding, on the other hand, was decked in the standard Jurassic Park wardrobe. Jess had made fun of his clothes when she first saw them, but now she was probably wishing she had a pair of those long-legged jeans, too.
"Brr," she said through chattering teeth. "I'm freezing. Can we go back now?"
"Don't you want to see the Triceratops?" Harding replied.
"Well, yeah. But not if I freeze to death as a result."
"I told you shorts were a bad idea."
"You never like it when I wear them."
It was true. If Harding could have his way, she never would wear anything that didn't reach her knees. But, he didn't want to be that kind of parent who restricted what their kid could or couldn't wear. He'd leave that to her mother.
"I'm just saying that when you travel somewhere exotic, it might be a good idea to pack some jeans," Harding explained, trying to quell the tension.
"I did pack some jeans. I just didn't think I'd need them," Jess responded with a hint of sass.
"Well, now you know."
Harding looked at his watch. Quarter passed eight. If they wanted to make the boat, they'd have to leave right away. But Harding still wanted Jess to see the Triceratops.
"Come on," Jess said impatiently. She rubbed her bare arms frantically in an effort to warm herself. "They aren't coming. Let's just-"
"Shh," Harding interrupted, raising a hand to silence her complaints. He'd heard it there, in the distance- a rustling sound.
"What?" Jess whispered, suddenly intrigued.
Harding pointed to his right. "They're coming. Probably three or four. Two adults and two babies by the sound of it."
"How can you tell?" Jess asked, her tone betraying her interest.
"You just learn," Harding said with a shrug.
The rustling sound grew louder and louder until it was deafening. Jess was no longer thinking about the cold. Her attention was fixed solely on the foliage behind the fence. This was Harding's favourite part. Watching people's eager faces as they waited, one excruciating second at a time, until finally...
"Holy s***," Jess gasped.
Just as Harding predicted, two adult Triceratops and two juveniles emerged from the foliage. One of the adults was larger than the other; she was the Alpha. Harding liked to call her Lady Margaret.
The four dinosaurs sniffed the air tentatively, then rolled their deep brown eyes to fix them on the two humans watching them from the opposite side of the fence.
"Can they see us?" Jess asked in a hushed, strained voice.
"Yes," Harding whispered back. "Triceratops don't have that great eyesight, but we're close enough for them to see us."
"They're huge," Jess breathed. "And beautiful."
Lady Margaret let out a big grunt. Breath exuded from her nostrils in a great puff. Then, she turned her massive head and plodded off into the bushes, followed quickly by the other three.
"Wow," Jess exclaimed. "That was amazing. Now can we go back?"
Harding looked at her, and sighed with amusement. "Mind of a child. You just saw real live Triceratops and all you can think about is the cold."
"Survival instinct, dad," Jess chimed.
Harding let out a soft laugh. "You're so witty. Real mystery why you don't have a boyfriend."
Jess was quiet, and Harding glanced at her to see she was looking at the ground. "Oh, uh, sorry," he began, "I didn't mean-"
"It's okay, dad. You're right. It is a mystery."
An awkward silence lapsed. It was broken by a distant clap of thunder. The clouds began exuding rain.
"Well, I think it's time we headed back," Harding said. Jess didn't complain. They turned and walked back to the Jeep, parked where they left it on the side of the road. Harding opened the door and got behind the wheel. Jess jumped in through the open window. "How many times have I asked you not to do that?" Harding asked her.
She looked at him for a moment, then gave a non-committal shrug. "I dunno. Six? Seven times?"
"Something like that." Harding turned the key and the engine rumbled to life. The headlights flashed on, illuminating the road ahead, and the dark figure of a person standing in front of them.
Harding stared at the person in surprise. He couldn't make out the person's gender or identity; in the growing darkness, it was impossible to discern either. He was just beginning to form a greeting in his mind, when the person unexpectedly pitched forward and landed face-first on the road.
